Parish Council Vacancies

The Government is urging people to get involved with community work. One way of doing this is to become a Parish Councillor. It is an interesting and rewarding way to give something back to your community. In terms of commitment, the Council has meetings most Monday evenings, however your attendance at these would depend on which Committees you might like to serve on. We have planning, finance, burial, rights of way and play areas committees.

Rights of Way

If you are interested in walking there are many rights of way in Astercote. We have a small working group who do a lot of work on the footpaths and their efforts help to keep our footpaths open and usable. We also have informal rights of way meetings twice a year where you can come along and catch up on news about our rights of way and the work that has been done. The more help we get the better, and anybody can adopt a footpath or any number of footpaths and keep us informed of their condition. We also encourage walkers to take secateurs with them to cut back any overgrowth that is obstructing their way.

Mud Lane

The public inquiry which was due to take place on 8 & 9 September in the Village Hall was cancelled due to a legal challenge by the Ramblers Association. This does not mean that the matter is now closed. The next step will be for the Council to determine the true status of Mud Lane. Currently it is defined as a footpath but there is strong evidence to suggest it should be a bridleway. Once this has been determined (which in itself could result in an Page 6 Inquiry), the process will begin again to seek the diversion of Mud Lane onto the permissive route which likewise could result in an inquiry

Annual Parish Picnic

A big thanks to Stephen who led the walk and his stile gang who made sure we had an enjoyable and safe walk. We have received £100 from the Woodland Trust to mark this celebration, which we will use to plant some English bluebells, daffodils, primroses and cowslips this autumn. We will also be making some owl, bird and bat boxes to erect in the trees. If anybody has got any wood they would like to donate to make the boxes please contact the Parish Council Office

We have certainly had a lot of sad news one way and another in the village this month, none more so than the loss of Hazel Wingate, probably not quite as well known as husband Arthur who had the sweet shop in the Lower Square and was responsible for the village clock for more years than I care to remember, but in saying that, Hazel was always very supportive of Arthur in every way. Funnily enough, I would have always thought that Hazel was true Astercote in the manner which I have often mentioned but unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever way you look at it

Country Diary

Our good summer weather has made quite a difference to the bird and animal life that has been seen in the Hobs Lane and Joseph Hill area. Pheasants and chicks have wandered into gardens in the hope of finding food but the sighting of foxes has been less frequent. The cuckoo was very vocal throughout June and could be heard throughout the day. The local grassnakes have been observed during the three summer months, probably enjoying the warmth as much as the sunbathers in Astercote

Dog Fouling remains an issue

The Community Services who have been cutting the field footpaths that lead from Hobs Lane, Hammede Close and Joseph Close to the High Street (opposite the Vets) have said they are not prepared to cut them again unless the paths are cleared of dogs’ mess. These footpaths are well used and provide a route to school for children which avoids much of the main road making their journey to school safer, but unless things improve in terms of dog fouling the paths are likely to become overgrown in the future. So, if you walk these paths or indeed any other routes, please pick up after your dog. Thank you in anticipation.

The Parish Hall

The finances at the Parish Hall are not in too good a state. We were hoping to continue with the refurbishment work in the kitchen, ie a new cooker, which we felt was top priority. It is not all doom and gloom for we have a promise from a very kind couple who will pay for the installation of a new cooker and the cooker that was given to us can be sold with money going towards a new one. Unfortunately this cooker was not suitable as the ovens are too small. A new cooker which would be suitable costs just over the £1,000 and no, I am not asking for any donations, although they would be appreciated!

Heathdown Bridge

Work is continuing and the river bridge should have been completed by 15 September. From 17 September, as some may have already found out, there will be no through access along Heath Lane. Cyclists are being diverted along the National Cycle Route 93 (Oak Lane). Given the poor surface of the lane the Parish Council has asked Astercote Borough Council if it can makes some improvements.

There has been a change to the railway bridge embankment stabilisation due to the unknown presence of counterforts in the embankment, which were installed in the 1940s. In October the Parish Council will be meeting with various parties to discuss the loss of the tank traps which sadly occurred at the early stages of the project

Can you help?

Professor Bernard Quivers is seeking help on a local research project, which he is undertaking while on autumn sabbatical from his work at the Institute.

Last month a series of unusual red flares were sighted by ramblers on the common. Quivers would like to speak to anyone who has found anything unusual in connection with this incident.

Dorothy Wickham, Hazel's mother went back to her mother Mrs Tindall, at Blunsdon, to have Hazel. I think she was there about a week, then her father, Kit Wingate, went and brought them both back to Astercote to live with his parents in the thatched cottage in Hobs Lane, just past where Apple Tree Close is today and, in those days, you would say just by Albert Morris' blacksmith shop. Mr and Mrs Corbridge, Audrey’s aunt and uncle, lived in the cottage behind the Brecks and Mrs Corbridge would wave to her mother in Hobs Lane with a tea towel from her cottage. Her mother, of course, was Hazel's gran. Later her mum had two more girls born in Astercote, Rosemary and Ann. When I spoke of sad news earlier, Ann died just a week before Hazel.

Clerical Vacancies

Vicars come and go but the church remains and so the life and worship at St Aelfsige's will continue.

Time will tell how valuable this period has been. Whatever we have learnt this year we hope that during the next we will be able to put it together with the knowledge, understanding and ability to inspire of ‘one who is to come’ – a traditional rallying call for advent – a present day hope for the village and parish of Astercote. In this, if you do believe it has a place in life – pray with us that hope will be realised in such a way that this village is blessed – and in turn so too will be a wider world.

A Curious Astercote Resident

Maurice Appleby saw this good looking chap carved on the old lych-gate in the field overlooking the school

Can anyone say what it is, what it means and why it is there, please? Answers to Astercote Herald, please - details are on page 4.