Country Matters :
Spring has sprung
It is that lovely time of year when we begin seeing the fruits of the hard labour of the tups as the mules start to give birth to their offspring. This annual event also provides casual work for a whole hoard of veterinary and agricultural students as they reach their Easter Break and are desperate for some hard cash for next terms beer. It is cash and earning it is certainly hard!!. There is, however, one criterion they all need - to have small hands!!
One thing though, we won't see any of them in Longparish, as the pig slurry that is spread on the fields is too rich in copper for them. If they were on the fields here, the copper would restrict their growth and, more importantly, reduce their fertility. On other farms nearby, though, this birth process continues over a three or four week period and is a twenty four hour job. You can normally guarantee that it is the middle of a cold and frosty night, just at that time when you feel you can't keep awake, that you will be needed to help with the difficulties of a young mum who is struggling to produce her babies. The birth percentage is around 187%, with the kitchen Aga coming into its own for those stragglers who are born weak or with too much competition for their mum's milk.
So this month's challenge is to decide what is a mule and what breed cross is it, and what is a tup? Also, how long ago did the tups put all their efforts into making sure the poor students had some work for the Easter holidays?
Last months answers are as follows:
Spring Barley Optic and Cellar
Winter Wheat Hereward
Winter Oats Gerald
Winter Beans Clipper
Winter Rape Expert
Country Bumpkin
Longparish Village Hall Committee AGM
Thursday 26th April at 8 pm
in the Village Hall
All welcome
1 st no. 18 Jeremy & Maggie Barber
2 nd no.1 Mrs Parker
3 rd 133 Phil & Sarah Harris
1 st no. 46 Mrs J.Gould
2 nd no. 114 Mrs Green
3 rd no. 71 Cathy Yelf
We are very excited to see the progress of the new building. Shaun Mildenhall of Alexander Design told us about the stage reached at present and what will be happening in the coming weeks. It was a challenge to concentrate on lessons once the diggers started work on the playing field! The school is grateful to the Parish Council for the use of the football field until the school field is available once more.
( ed. Dog owners, please make sure that your dogs do not foul the field )
We celebrated World Book Day on March 3 rd by basing our work on a “sea” theme and taking part in “sea word searches” to raise funds for this year's chosen charity. Thanks to parents and children the sum of £113 was raised for the RNLI.
Senior Citizens' Lunches next term will be held at noon on April19, May17, June14 and July12. Please book the day before by telephoning the school. 720317
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As I write, the Club's indoor activities are now coming to an end, with all matches in the Winchester Indoor League completed and only three weeks remaining for nets for the senior players and colts.
Longparish II played their last match in Division 3 of the W & DCCA Indoor League against Swanmore II, knowing that just three points would secure second place for them. In the event, they achieved 13 points, finishing two points behind Division 3 winners, Eastleigh & Otterbourne. Well done the Seconds! Longparish I failed to win their last match, so finished in mid-table of Division 3, and Longparish III ended their first season with an excellent win against Wherwell II.
The considerable work carried out on the square last summer and during the winter has proved beneficial and the ground is looking good for the coming season. On Saturday, 9 th April, there should be plenty of action at the ground when the annual clear-up day will take place to clean the pavilion and sort the nest area, sightscreens etc.
Just a reminder that our first scheduled fixture id for Saturday, 24 th April when, weather permitting, we travel to Rotherwick Park (near Alton) for a first round match in the Village Knock-Out Competition. Start time 2pm. Should the match not be played on 24 th , it will take place at Longparish the following Sunday, 1 st May.
The second Club Draw for 2005 took place at The Cricketers on 23 rd February; the winners were as follows:
1 st £35 no.31 Pat Motley
2 nd £15 no. 27 Les Martinez
3 rd £15 no. 27 C.Sparkes
Kate Hibberd
Consultation on the Draft Parish Plan
The Parish Plan Steering Group has analysed the results of the discussions and the questionnaire and is in the process of drafting the Parish Plan.
A number of key proposals have already come out of our deliberations and a summary of these is given overleaf.
We would like to hear your views on these proposals as soon as possible – whether you agree or have concerns – so we can build your ideas into the final Plan.
The Draft Plan itself will contain much more detail, including how we intend to go about implementing the proposals. We will be making copies of the Draft Plan available from the week beginning 11 th April:
in the shop, at the pubs, on the website and with each of the Parish Plan Steering group members
Please take a look at the Draft Plan and discuss your views with any of the Steering Group whose contact details are given below.
There will be a final opportunity to comment at the Annual Parish Meeting on 16th May and we intend to publish the Plan by the end of May. Every household in the village will receive a copy.
To discuss the Key Proposals or any other aspect of the Parish Plan in more detail please e-mail info@longparish.org.uk or ring any of the following – Fiona Gould 720709 (Chairman & Community issues);
Mike Johnson 720441(housing); Catherine Sweet 720550 (transport & road safety); David Wright 720598 (environment & open spaces). Other members of the group are Jeremy Barber 720459,
Christine Beresford 720421 Alix Bremridge 720715, Mary Jo Darrah 720320, Cheryl Dowler 720581,
Gloria Goodliffe 720425, Nona Harrison 720215, Andrea Hulme 720347.
Key proposals - for consultation and comment
The
Parish Plan Group proposes to :
• Establish a Community Association to provide support services to individuals and organisations within Longparish, for instance:
• To be a source of information and an active communicator about resources, services and activities of value to people in the village
• To help co-ordinate activities involving more than one organisation
• To help match volunteers to needs within the village (eg. co-ordinating a pool of volunteer drivers to take older people to doctor's appointments)
• To provide information about and encourage the use and protection of our footpath network and public open spaces such as the nature reserve, play-park and football field.
• Set up a Youth Group and a programme of activities for 12-18 year olds
• Actively support and encourage the long-term success of our existing facilities, particularly the school, play group, shop and post office
• Work to achieve village support for some small, mixed housing development to provide affordable accommodation and small houses that might meet the needs of older villagers wishing to move to a smaller more manageable home.
• The next step will be a Housing Needs Survey and there will be further consultation with the village should the need be confirmed.
• Actively support the proposals in the School Travel Plan including improving the safety of the stretch of road between the village hall and the school by way of:
• Building a pavement joining the village hall car park to the school
• 20mph school zone speed limit
• School flashing warning signs
• Work with the relevant authorities to improve safety in other parts of the village by:
• Enforcement of the existing speed limit
• Extension of the speed limited areas, particularly Forton to The Middleway and Southside Hill to The Common
• Exploring traffic calming measures
• Continue to liaise with local businesses to reduce the problems with large lorries getting lost or driving too fast through the village
• Explore the possibility of creating an all-weather surface for the footpath from North Acre, past the football pitch to the village hall
• Work with relevant groups and individuals in the village to protect the beauty and rural nature of Longparish whilst responding to the changing needs of the village community over time