Church Away Day
On 19th April 53 worshippers and non-worshippers from the benefice met for a ‘strategy day’ at the
Bishop’s Palace in Wells.
This was a first for the three parishes and I am sure I was not alone in wondering what to expect and what we could hope to achieve.
I need not to have worried. The day was led by Steve Annandale from the Diocesan School of Formation, whose expertise as a trainer in the NHS paid off. He kept us on the right track and helped us formulate ideas that over the coming months we can translate into achievable goals for the three parishes.
During the day we considered the ‘highs and lows’, and ‘strengths and weaknesses’ of our church, and then compared our findings to the ‘parish profiles’ and ‘mission statements’ prepared before Andy’s appointment.
Meeting as a benefice rather than as individual parishes brought up new ideas, let others evolve and engendered new friendships.
During the key part of the day we divided into groups to consider six important areas raised during the morning session, restoring and renewing faith; bringing Gods message to families and young people; fostering relationships between church and school; providing pastoral care and bringing a fresh approach to worship.
The results of the day are being transcribed and it is hoped that a draft Benefice Development Plan can be produced by 21st June incorporating the results.
I am sure everyone who attended will join with me in thanking the organisers. This is a time of change not only within our benefice but within the wider church too, and this day helped us all to face the challenges before us with confidence and a faith in the future.
Nicky Venning
NEWS FROM WESTBURY
Bishop’s Palace Volunteers
A small group of people from this parish regularly volunteer as stewards at the Bishop’s Palace. We each do one half or a full day, and enjoy the grounds and all the exhibitions as well as the peaceful setting.
We need a few more people to make up the team. No knowledge is required for volunteering.
If you would like to join us please contact Linda Mogford (870817) or John Barkle (870063).
Church News MAY
Deanery Readers Service
A service for Lay readers in the Deanery will take place at 6.30pm on Sunday 11th May at St Lawrence’s Church. Mrs Sylvia Sims, will officiate.
Village Club Day
Lynda Harding (870267), Megan Moore (870559) and Jo Atkinson (870600), are collecting names of volunteers to help with Club Day on Monday May 26th.
As in previous years the Church will be responsible for stalls selling books; bathroom items; cakes; china and glass; plants; toys and jams, preserves and groceries and for organising the tea-tent. Please start baking, preserving, growing and sorting so that stalls have plenty to sell.
Volunteers are needed to help erect tents, man the stalls, and help clear-up afterwards.
This is the most important fund-raising event in the church year, a fantastic day for family and friends and one of the social highlights of the village year!
In an age when many villages can no longer organise this type of event it is wonderful that Westbury Club Day goes from strength to strength. Long may that continue.
Friendly Society Service
Sunday 25th May 11.30am - Details elsewhere in the PEW
PCC AGM
The PCC AGM was held on April 17th. Les and Megan Moore were re -elected as Churchwardens; Lynda Harding was re-elected as PCC Secretary, Michael Calverley as Treasurer. Linda Mogford is Church Electoral Role Officer and Francis Hole and Lynda Harding will be Westbury representatives on the Deanery Synod. Pippa Mains, Tory Volke, Jo Atkinson and Dick Coates will continue to serve as PCC members. The date of the May PCC meeting will be announced after the April 29th meeting.
Church Away Day.
A report on the very successful Church Away Day appears elsewhere in the PEW.
Nicky Venning
Butterfly Walk at Draycott Sleights, Stoke Camp and Westbury Beacon
This event is a joint initiative between Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Well’s Area Group and Butterfly Conservation to visit well-known butterfly hotspots and see some of the species that are present in July. The event is open to anyone who is interested in finding out about the butterflies of the Mendip Hills.
Date: 22nd July 2008 at 10:00am
Meeting Place: The entrance to Draycott Sleights SWT Reserve ST483513 (parking outside the reserve is limited and lift sharing is recommended if possible)
Bring:Packed lunch
Contact: For more information contact Jane Harwood, Chair of the Wells Area Group, 01749 679182
Butterfly Conservation Open Event in the Mendip Hills
An opportunity to meet local butterfly recorders and identify approximately 25 of the butterfly species found in the Mendip Hills. This is a joint initiative between Butterfly Conservation’s Somerset and Bristol Branch and Somerset Wildlife Trust at Butterfly Conservation’s Stoke Camp Reserve and Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Draycott Sleights Reserve. Everyone is welcome to attend who would like to learn more about butterflies in the Mendip Hills.
Date: 3rd August 2008 at 11:00am
Meeting Place: The entrance to Draycott Sleights SWT Reserve ST483513 (parking outside the reserve is limited and lift sharing is recommended if possible)
Bring:Packed lunch
For more information contact: Mike Ridge, Butterfly Conservation Somerset and Bristol Branch, 01278 450793
Somerset’s Heritage Roadshow at Glastonbury Abbey
This May the Museums In Somerset, a group of over 50 museum and heritage organisations in Somerset, will join forces will local history groups to host the second annual Somerset Heritage Roadshow. The group, with the support and assistance of Somerset County Council, will be holding the free event in the historic surroundings of Glastonbury Abbey.
The Somerset Heritage Roadshow is an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to discover more about the county’s history, the museums that preserve it and the groups that study it. Three marquees will be placed in the grounds to hold the exhibitions and activities that are being put on by museums, history, geology and archaeology societies. There will be plenty to see and do, with activities for all the family running throughout the day.
Visitors can paint their face like the Iron Age warriors, watch Medieval Knights sword fighting and even find out what the Monk’s of the Abbey had for their tea. They can meet a host of historical figures from throughout Somerset’s history and find out hidden secrets from their local history. With over 50 stands and activities and demonstrations running throughout the day, this promises to be the highlight of Somerset’s events calendar.
This event has been funded by Bristol City Museum through the Museums, Libraries and Archives councils Renaissance in the Regions programme, a government funded initiative to transform England’s museums and make them more accessible to their local communities.
Natalie Watson, Somerset County Council’s Museum Development Officer said, “This event is a wonderful opportunity for Somerset County Council and the heritage organisations across Somerset to show the fantastic collections they care for and preserve in a new and interesting way.”
The Somerset Heritage Roadshow is being held at Glastonbury Abbey on Monday 5th May, between 11am-5pm. Entry is free for the Roadshow and the Abbey. For more information please contact Natalie Watson on 01823 320203 or.
Westbury-sub-Mendip WI
Following the business part of the April meeting, Westbury members were treated to a talk on the construction of the Chew Valley Lake reservoir.
The speaker was Lesley Ross of The Harptree History Society, who together with a number of other members, had undertaken extensive research into the history of the area. This research culminated in the publication of their book ‘The Chew Valley Story’ and includes recollections of some of the original inhabitants of the Chew Valley, many of whom are now very elderly.
The reservoir was built as it had been realised by the turn of the century that a demand for water from a rapidly expanding Bristol would soon to outstrip supply and an alternative had to be found.
Bristol Water had chosen the Chew Valley as a suitable place for a reservoir as there were water sources which could be utilised and the area the lake covers was mainly farmland. In 1939 an Act of Parliament was passed which allowed for the compulsory purchase of properties to allow construction of the reservoir. However, the war intervened so work did not start until the early 1950s when Bristol Water managed to acquire all the properties and land required by negotiation, thus avoiding the need for compulsory purchase
A workforce of 300 was employed on the project, often working in difficult and dangerous conditions. In her presentation Lesley showed pictures of the construction methods, maps of the area affected and pictures of several of the properties which had had to be demolished. Old roads, hedgerows and tree stumps can reappear when dry summers cause the level of the lake to drop.
In those austere post-war years nothing was wasted and much of the building material was reclaimed to be reused on the project. At the time it was also possible to purchase from Bristol Water many of the fittings and other materials from the demolished houses and other buildings.
Prior to the flooding of the reservoir, archaeologicalexcavations were carried out by Philip Rahtz and Ernest Greenfield who were employed from 1953 to 1955 by the Ministry of Works. Some significant archaeological discoveries of neolithic, iron age, bronze age and roman artefacts were made and some of these can be seen at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. A wooden writing tablet with ink writing thought to date from Roman times was also found here and is now in the British Museum.
The reservoir was opened by HM the Queen in 1956. Fishing the first activity to take place but it was not long before birds began to colonise the area and bird watching became a popular pastime, with bird reserves and hides being built.
Sailing started there in 1967 but was restricted to a small area at first. Later expansion saw car parks, a visitor centre, picnic areas and catering facilities being added.
This was an extremely interesting and informative talk and enjoyed immensely by the members. Sylvia Healey gave the Vote of Thanks.
The next meeting will be on 6 May at 7.30 p.m. in the Village Hall. Visitors welcome.
Liz Hamblin
In Memoriam - Beatie Carver
Right at the beginning of last Month we heard the sad news that one of the long standing, much loved members of our community had died. The village really won’t be the same without her.
Always very active in the village I have a particular memory of Beatie’s cakes and the part her culinary expertise played in the Church Fete. She was also active with the Friendly Society, and W.I. It was particularly appropriate that at her packed funeral service the hymn ‘Jerusalem’ was sung. It was remarked at her funeral that at one time Beatie was the village, she had been so active here for so many years.
Beatie was also especially fond of her Jack Russell dogs, and they must have been a solace to her when her husband Maurice died some years ago. Yet despite this, what positive person she was. Always available for a friendly chat in the shop for instance.
Alistair and Richard led a packed congregation in the Church to say farewell to Beatie, after which she was interred in the churchyard of the village she had served so long and well.
Our thoughts and sympathy are extended to her son George and her two grand children Michael and Amanda at this sad time. M.M.
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
7.30pm Thursday 8 May in the Village Hall
Keynote speaker: Sonia Pike, Bureau Manager for the Mendip CAB
"How the Citizens Advice Bureau helps local people"
The Annual Parish Meeting gives all villagers the opportunity to raise any
matters of concern for discussion. There will also be annual reports from
Ros Wyke, Chairman of the Parish Council, reports from our county and
district councillors, and also from the Village Hall Committee, the Playing
Field Committee & the Multi-User Path Committee. The meeting will end with
an open discussion & free refreshments.
New PEWs
Are you new ton the village and would like a copy of the PEW? Or do you know someone who would like to receive a monthly PEW. If so please contact Linda Mogford on 870817 and we will get you included on someone’s delivery list.
Sing for life at St Lawrence
Right at the end of last month, in fact on the afternoon of the 30th, a substantial number of people gathered in the church for a sponsored hymn sing in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust, the bone marrow charity which has been able to offer a lifeline to many leukaemia sufferers. Some sixty three hymns were sung, (not in their entirety of course!) and although final figures are not yet available we know that well over £500 was raised for the charity. More than half of the hymns sung had been specially chosen either by folk attending or via the sponsorship forms
We are especially grateful to the school children and Chris and Sue who attended and delighted us all with hymns and songs they had rehearsed for the occasion; and of course a great big thank-you to Helen, who sat there at the organ for about two and a half hours playing the accompaniments to all the hymns. The biggest thanks of all though must go to the many people who turned up to sing and who collected sponsors and contributions.
It is apparent from the many comments we have heard that this event was much enjoyed. Perhaps we can repeat it some time in the future. M.M.
Westbury Village Hall:
The AGM of the Village Hall will be held on May 13th at 7.30pm. This will be Betty’s last AGM as treasurer and booking clerk having been on the committee for 31 years. All residents of Westbury are invited and entitled to come. A report on the past year – both financial and other aspects, will be presented and the committee for the coming year will be confirmed. If you have any thoughts or contributions the AGM would be a good opportunity to air these. We are still looking for someone who would like to act as the booking clerk for the Hall. If anyone is interested in this role please contact Peter Bright ( Chairman) on 870640. Please note that a new scale of charges came into effect on 1st April 2008.
The photo is of Betty being presented with the Somerset Best Run Village Hall Cup in 1988.
Westbury Society:
The next meeting will be on Thursday 22nd May in the Village Hall at 7.30pm. Entry £2 with children free. Nigel Milbourne will talking about ‘Birds of Mendip’. He lives in Blagdon and has been studying and photographing birds on Mendip for many years. His illustrated talk will, as befits a member of the Society of Nature Photographers, be spectacular. His local knowledge is extensive and he would be able to answer any questions about local birds.
Saturday 14th June 2.00 pm Andrew Buchanan is organising a visit to the ‘High Places of Wells Cathedral’. You need to sign up with him 870404 as there are both minimum and maximum numbers permitted. A minimum donation of £5.50 is expected to the funds of the Cathedral is all that is known about of the costs at the moment.
As part of National Archaeological Week there is on Sunday July 13th a Westbury Deer Park Walk and on Sunday July 20th a Hill bounds walk either side of lunch in Priddy. More information from Barry Lane 870457.
The Third Annual Glow-worm count is on Thursday 31st July. Meet at 9.00pm at Medlar House, The Square. The event is expected to finish by 11.15pm. Peter Bright (870640) would welcome any glow-worm records from any of the Parishes. They can be expected any time from mid June through to the end of October.
The Westbury Friendly Society:
The Annual Club Day is on Sunday and Monday 25th and 26th May. The Parade, Roll Call followed by Club Day lunch is on the Sunday morning and the usual activities on the Playing Field combined with the second running of the Three Peaks Run and the Church fete is on Monday afternoon. More details will be in the programmes delivered to your home.