may in drews park · courses run by their partner housing associations, one of the nearest being...
TRANSCRIPT
The newsletter of Drews Park Village Association Autumn Edition Issue 24
May in Drews Park
DEAR RESIDENTS OF DREWS PARK
I really cannot believe it is six months since our
last Drews News. Life at Drews Park has
progressed well during the summer months with the
painting/repair programme almost complete and
from comments received everyone seems to be
very pleased with the result.
Your committee recently met with Sarsen on your
behalf to discuss ongoing ideas and problems the
result of which is that Sarsen HA are going to
organise a Consultation day at Drews Park so that
we can all give our opinions on some of the following
topics; bike storage, conservation, gardens, light pollution etc. Leanna will be
on site on Tuesday 28th September between 3.30pm and 6pm in Thurnham
Court to listen to your suggestions. One of our main concerns is the wall
beside the children’s play area which is in serious need of repair, and may prove
to be very costly. As we all appreciate being within the curtilege of the Grade
II listed building, the conservation department will have to be consulted.
Probably due to the current economic downturn it appears that there have been
a number of new residents moving into Drews Park; as a result of which your
committee and Sarsen will be putting together a new “welcome pack”. It is
becoming more and more apparent that the Estate and Letting Agents are not
advising new residents of the basic rules within the lease that make Drews Park
such a unique place to live and this may help to address the problem.
The Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 19th October at the Fox and
Hounds public house, as near to home as we can make it! It will start at 7.30pm
sharp! I sincerely hope that you will come and support us, and cast your vote
for the 2010-11 committee and let us know if there is anything else we can do to
keep Drews Park Village a wonderful place to live.
I hope to meet you at the A.G.M
Kind regards
Norma Humphreys – Chair
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DREWS PARK VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
10th Annual General Meeting
Tuesday 19th October 2010 at 7.30pm
At the Fox and Hounds., Nursteed Road, Devizes
AGENDA
�Apologies
�Chairman’s Report
�Treasurer’s Report
�Amendments to Constitution
�Election of committee members
�Update on recent events
�Any other Business
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DREWS PARK VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
Nomination Form for the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday 19th October
2010
I…………………………………………………………………. (Please print)
Agree to stand for the DPVA committee
Proposed by…………………………………………………………..
Seconded by………………………………………………………….
Signed……………………………………………………Date……………….
All forms to be delivered to the Chair, Norma Humphreys at 12 Wyatt Court no later than Tuesday 12th October.
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….that Sarsen offers regular IT training from basic ‘how to send an email’ to more complex courses? In recent months Sarsen has offered a six week course for beginners and
intermediate users of the Internet but was forced to cancel it due to
insufficient take-up. Involved residents are also able to take advantage of
courses run by their partner Housing Associations, one of the nearest
being Testway in Andover. A recent course offered was a full day course on
Microsoft Publisher and a further course on Newsletter design. These two
courses alone would have cost £100s if attended privately.
Sarsen has contacted DPVA with regard to recycling and they are worried at
the amount of recyclables put into the big bins. We have done articles on this
many times but as there is a frequent turnover of tenants and some sales by
leaseholders, it is necessary to repeat ourselves from time to time!
Residents may not be aware of the Council’s policy on bins. We are allowed one
large ‘Euro’ bin per six households, and surprisingly we have almost exactly the
right number although some Courts have fewer houses and more capacity than
others. When the rubbish collection was altered from weekly to fortnightly,
the Council told us that we were expected to recycle enough in the bins for
paper, glass and tins to make up for the reduced collections.
Sarsen tell us that they have had a number of phone calls from people
complaining about the amount of plastic milk containers and other plastics that
will sit in ground fill for 100 years! If Wiltshire Council ever tips our bins out
and sees what is in them (which could happen) we could find ourselves with
reduced numbers of Euro bins, which would cause us a great problem. Just a
note: Residents are paying over £200 per month for plastic, cardboard and
household items to be taken to Hopton Court – something for which we
should be taking individual responsibility. 4
CONGRATULATIONS…..!
…..to Roger Edwards and Helen, from Wyatt Court, married at St John’s Church Devizes on 8th May 2010.
Best wishes to them both!
TRAFFIC CALMING AT MARSHALL ROAD Norma Humphreys says: I was surprised to find that the traffic calming measures in
Marshall Road had been agreed several years ago but only now put into place.
This large ‘hump’ reminded me of a letter I had read in the Daily Telegraph ‘Honest
John’ section. A reader discovered that his car had picked up a nearside rear
puncture. The car had covered less than 15,000 miles and the tread depth was still
good. The tyre company suggested that the inner edge had been worn away to the
point where air simply escaped through the wall casing. The company suggested
checking the offside tread and this was found to have a long split in the sidewall.
Apparently the damage is caused by ‘straddling’ metre-wide speed cushions,
particularly if they are not in good repair. Instead of straddling the humps it is
better to risk possible spring damage by driving one side over, one side on the flat and
to regularly check the unseen inside edges of your rear tyres.
AN EVENING OUT AT LACOCK ABBEY A group of Drews Park residents made up a party to see A MERCHANT OF VENICE
at Lacock in June. We were lucky to have one of those warm balmy evenings which
started with a picnic, then settled down
to the performance which was
excellently acted and most beautifully
dressed. If you want to be on the list
for any events next summer or even at
Christmas just email or phone any
committee member and we will add you
to our events contacts.
5
There should be homes for people AND Wildlife says Gareth Harris, our resident conservation expert
Buildings such as houses, barns and churches are
important buildings, not only for their primary human
uses, but also for the opportunities that they
provide for nesting birds and roosting bats. Birds
such as Swift, House Martin, Starling and House
Sparrow rely almost exclusively upon opportunities
on buildings for nesting, whether under eaves, under
tiles or behind soffit boxes for example. Various
swift species of bats, many increasingly
rare in the UK also rely on buildings for roosting throughout the year,
including for breeding during June and July, and for hibernation during the
winter months. The loss of nesting and roosting sites in buildings is a major
contributory factor in the massive population declines seen in these species
across the UK.
In recent years, increasingly stringent building regulations and construction
standards have placed new demands on existing buildings as well as new builds,
ultimately resulting in the loss of bird nesting sites and bat roosting sites.
Building regulations and construction standards aim to ensure that new
builds reach the highest standards in waste minimisation, use of sustainable
materials, low carbon materials; it IS possible to achieve these aims whilst also
retaining the value of the building for biodiversity.
It is therefore worth remembering that your house may be home not only for
you and your family but also for wildlife such
as birds and bats. In many cases, they need
your help and your acceptance in order to
survive.
Drews Park, you cannot fail to notice,
supports an abundance of wildlife, whether
it’s the Green Woodpeckers feeding on the
lawns or the Treecreepers nesting in
6 Lesser Horseshoe bat
the woodland. But have you noticed the Starlings nesting behind the soffit boxes along
the eaves of the buildings? Have you noticed the bats emerging after dark to feed
around the buildings and woodland? Have you noticed
the Brown Long-eared bats roosting under the eaves?
Some residents may not realise that Drews Park has
supported bats for decades; as part of the development
and renovation of the site, a number of features were
included to support the existing bat populations,
including the construction of a small bat tower, near the
clock tower, which enables bat to access roosting sites
below ground.
Drews Park and our homes offer countless opportunities
for nesting birds and roosting bats; from my home in
Thurnham Court, Starlings can be seen nesting and
indeed, the first broods recently fledged. After dark
the Brown Long-eared bats can be seen emerging and
feeding along the woodland edge, feeding on moths and
other insects.
Bat tower in Thurnham
We can do more to encourage those species that need our help: on a national level,
efforts are being made by the major nature conservation groups to establish Swift
conservation projects, to support this dramatic and mysterious summer visitor. Swifts
are suffering a massive decline nationally, in part due to loss of nesting sites. Old but
well maintained buildings, such as Drews Park should support healthy populations of
Swifts breeding under roof tiles; but the conversion a decade ago sealed the building
losing those opportunities for nesting Swifts. Today we can begin to provide those
opportunities once more, by providing artificial and specialised nesting boxes.
It may be possible to establish a number of these nesting sites around Drews Park, with
the support and blessing of individual home owners. We'd be interested to know who
may be interested in supporting this work by hosting some swift nest boxes. If enough
people are interested, enquiries will be made with regard to the Listed Building Consents
which may be needed.
We have already had some residents welcoming the idea, so if you're interested in
supporting Swifts on a local level, please let the newsletter editor know.
GH lives in Thurnham Court
7
PROFILE OF ONE OF OUR NEW COMMITTEE
MEMBERS – Elaine Collier
Chas and I have lived in and around Wiltshire for a number of years. We have
been posted here as an RAF family living in Calne and subsequently Upavon. As
our postings rolled on we always felt we would like eventually to return to
Wiltshire.
In 1999 we made a start and moved to
Marlborough into a house with “space for a
granny annex”, where Chas’ mother, Marcelle,
lived, for a number of years. After a dreadful
fall, Marcelle had to move into a Nursing
Home. So we enjoyed our life in a house and
garden, “far too big for two”. After some soul
searching we came to a decision to “downsize”.
Marlborough really had nothing that suited us,
but a chance trawl around a property website
found us in Drews Park, where we happily
moved some 2 years ago.
I have to say I was a little unsure about
managing without a garden space, but should
not have been concerned, as we have the most
glorious outlook full of interest all year round.
Our neighbours all made us most welcome,
unfortunately I have caught “pot-itis” from
them, but have promised Chas and myself NO
MORE - garden centres are a great
temptation!
Devizes itself is a real eye-opener, for a small market town there is more than
enough in which to ”become involved”; Devizes Festival, Food Festival, Wharf
Theatre, list goes on and on. There are also plenty of places to sample good food
and wine.
I have for the last year been on the committee of DPVA; living in a listed
building is a wonderful privilege, as well as a pain, but we all need to preserve
the integrity of the site for future residents.
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WANTED – WOODLAND VOLUNTEERS A small number of Drews Park residents are currently volunteers
and devote some of their spare time to improving Drews Pond Woods
– hardly a stone’s throw away. Stuart Hislop, who manages the
project for the Woodland Trust, is anxious to increase the numbers.
Those who use the woods will have noticed how wonderfully the new
trees planted to the left of the woodland gated access are growing.
Contact Stuart on Tel: (01380) 728205. * * * * *
CONTACT DETAILS FOR SARSEN
Helen Dodds Leanna Waters (1st point of contact)
Neighbourhood Housing Manager Leasehold Services Co-ordinator
[email protected] [email protected]
Direct dial - 01380 735337 Direct dial - 01380 735578
Stephen Craig
Service Charge Officer
[email protected] Direct dial – 01380 735403
Book Club News
Here are the books we will be reading during our fourth/fifth year of the book group. You can join by emailing Norma on [email protected] or calling on 724950
September Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee
October Sex and Stravinsky by Barbara Trapido
November Aurora Floyd by Mary Braddon
December The Music Room by William Fiennes
January Rosalind Franklin – The Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda
Maddox
February Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant
March Time of our Singing by Richard Powers
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RESTAURANT CORNER The Wiltshire Yeoman
Members have recommended
THE WILTSHIRE YEOMAN on the
Devizes Road at Chirton, Tel: 01380
840665. Every Tuesday is Steak
Night!! Two Marsh Farm steaks &
trimmings with a bottle of house wine
all for only £28!! (That’s less than £15
each!).
The Sunday roast is good value and
diners can chose regular (at £9.95) or the smaller size (at £6.95), and of
course, between a variety of roast meats. Starters and desserts from
£4.75 to £8.95.
We know that there are Mac users at Drews Park, and unlike the easy
to use IPod , IPad and IPhone they are quite complex beasts to use in
comparison with the PC. Here are some websites that offer help:
www.macworld.com gives authoritative news coverage although some
of the tips and ‘how tos’ may be appreciated more by newcomers to
Mac. Another useful site is www.macforum.com
. While Mac computers are reputedly relatively
free from viruses they’re not immune to
‘glitches’. If you can’t seem to change your
system preferences or you suddenly find an
empty Utilities folder, the thousands of know-
alls on the forum may be able to help you. Of
course www.apple.com has an impressive support network. It’s often
a matter of devising a simple question with the right words that will
bring up useful words of advice. 10
NOTICE BOARD Each Court should have a representative. We are still looking for someone to
look after 1-22 Thurnham, 23-41 Thurnham, Cooke, and Speer. It’s not
particularly onerous; just look out for new residents and put a Welcome Pack
through their door. Phone any committee member to sign on!
(May also lead to 10% contents insurance reduction)
Adrian Wood is Neighbourhood Watch coordinator
COURT NO REPRESENTATIVE __ PHONE
Bowes 18 Peter Benns 739419
Burnham 6 Sue Chick 724774
Chapel 4 Kate Rodie 739704 Clock Tower 12 Adrian Wood 738424
Cooke Representative required Elliot 11 Edward Lockwood 730709
Speer Representative required Thurnham (1-22) Representative required Thurnham (23-41) Representative required Wyatt 7 Gordon Ingleby 723316
MEMBERS WANTED FOR LEASEHOLDER FORUM Sarsen hold a meeting four times annually, chaired by a resident, to discuss
matters of importance to leaseholders like us and to produce policy
documents. The panel consists solely of leaseholders and shared owners
(who also have a lease) and your views would be welcome. Email Helen
Dodds to join, or phone her number on page 9.
MEMBERSHIP We now have a total of 107 members of the DPVA Association. Email
[email protected] to join. You will then get all the updates on
meetings with Sarsen and forthcoming events. You don’t have to be an
owner – tenants welcome.
Anyone up for Mahjong? Ring a member to express interest!
11
12 Theatre News by Mary Stevens
The Autumn Season 2010 kicks off for
us, on Thursday the 23rd September
2010, with "Habeas Corpus" by Alan
Bennett followed by Thursday the 28th
October 2010, "The Caretaker" by
Harold Pinter
Thursday the 9th December 2010,
"Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie and on
Thursday 16th December 2010
"Socket, Sprocket and Wrench, Stuffed and Seasoned"
More details to follow when the full programme comes out later in
September.
Contact Mary on 739599 or [email protected] for tickets as these will
sell out fast. Fuller details of all these productions can be found on our website
www.drewspark.co.uk under the ‘social’ tab. As usual Mary will inform Drews
Park theatre goers about new productions as they are scheduled.
Members Contact details
Norma Humphreys Chair 12 Wyatt Court
724950 [email protected]
Adrian Wood Treasurer 12 Clock Tower 738424
[email protected] Peter Benns
Member 18 Bowes Court 739419
[email protected] Christine
Fitzmaurice Member 14 Wyatt Court 726448
[email protected] Jenny Holt
Member Burnham Court
840210 [email protected] Elaine
Collier Member 20 Bowes Court 727008
Co-opted members Lisa
Penington Drews news Ed & Communications and Membership Secretary 739588
[email protected] and [email protected]
Ralph Meyer [email protected]