October Parish News


ST ANDREWS CHURCH
Services for October
Holy Communion each Thursday at 10.30
7th 10.0011.00 Harvest Festival - Parade ServiceInformal Communion
10th 10.30 Pram Service
14th 10.30 Morning Praise
21st 10.30 Holy Communion
24th 10.30 Pram Service
28th 10.30 Morning Praise
31st 2.30 Woodside Home Service

Harvest Festival
Our annual Harvest Festival service will be held on Sunday morning 7th October at 10am. We will be welcoming the youngsters who will be parading to Church in their uniforms.
Mother's Union
We are well into our Autumn Programme now and all are welcome to join us at our monthly meetings, all beginning at 8.00 pm. On October 17th we meet in the Family Room at St Andrews' when our speaker will be Rev Andrew Pattman who will talk to us about encouraging children to be Christians. Other dates and venues can be seen on the Diary Page of this issue of Parish News.
St Andrew's Churchyard
We have received several compliments from local folk, commenting on the beautiful state of the churchyard these days. We welcome good words like this, but St Andrew's cannot take much of the credit! We are very largely assisted by Pauline Smith who works on behalf of Slip End Parish Council. Pauline is to be seen regularly hard at work mowin', trimmin' 'n strimmin' around the churchyard; many thanks Pauline, the churchyard looks a treat! As well we would like to thank the many who tend their family plots so caringly and also to our very own Ron Flashman who, with cajoled helpers, puts in a lot of time in and around the church. Recently, Ron was to be seen supervising the removal of an elder tree, happily flourishing 30 feet up, on the church roof! Not the sort of thing which would go down well with the Archdeacon on his annual inspection, but no damage was caused, as the tree had rooted in dead leaves and other debris which accumulated in one of the gullies on the transept.
St Andrew's Ramblers
Following a recent ramble by half a dozen or so, the group is keen to repeat the outing on a slightly more regular basis. Plan is to take monthly a short 3 or 4 milewalk. So on 7th October they will drive across to Marsworth for a stroll in that area. Not the optimum time of year to begin such a venture, but we wish them well in their travels! If you are interested and would like to accompany them, contact Sue Wiltshire on 725984.


BROWNIES
We are now busy making things for our Bazaar and Table-Top Sale which will be on Friday 9th November at 7.00pm finishing at 9.00.
Future Events
On October 7th some of the Brownies will be taking part in the annual sponsored Wild Life Walk around Whipsnade Zoo, more news next month.
Then in December (not far off now!) we will be holding a Christmas Craft Fair at the Village Hall, 10am to 3pm. Join us if you can, more details next month.
We still have a few places, so if you have a daughter who is aged between 7 and 10 contact me, Gillian Plummer, on 01582 723109.
Disappointment
I have been disappointed again at the level of village support for our events. We would appreciate more attendance and it would encourage us all, particularly those who work hard as stall holders, if more people turned up.
Gillian Plummer
Brown Owl


CANS FOR BOOKS
It's a while since I wrote to you all but we have had a lot to deal with in the family and the summer holidays seem to have whizzed by. In July we cashed in 65Kg of cans and raised another £32. This brings the total to a record £118 for a school year.
My younger son Ian has now left the school and I feel I should support his new school. I have therefore given up the job of managing Cans-4-Books. However the project is not dead. Mrs Wright has agreed to keep it going until one of the wonderful parents offer to take it on.
It is not difficult to deal with, and look at the rewards. In the last three years we have managed to raise £100 a year for books from cans that people throw away. Many thanks to everyone helped me in the last three years.
My bin is still in place and any cans left in it will be passed on to the school. Any Aluminum foil is being passed on to Dunstable 3rd Scouts who collect it. So please continue to support the school and raise lots more cash that can be converted into books.
Mervyn Wilson


SLIP END PLAYGROUP
Welcome back!
Playgroup re-commenced on 7th September after the summer holidays. We still have low numbers of children which is good for them as they get loads of adult attention, but not too good for our finances! We have applied for, and now been registered as, providers of nursery education in Bedfordshire which is a feather in our cap and which will also give us funding for our three year olds when it becomes available in this area.
Qualifications
This term our two Playgroup assistants are starting an NVQ3 course in nursery nursing. This is expected to take them between 18 months and two years. They are already at NVQ2 level and this will bring them up to the same level of qualification as Jill who is an N.N.E.B. qualified Nursery Nurse.
Out & about
During this half of the Autumn term Playgroup has taken the theme of Harvest and Autumn and will include a walk in Stockwood Park to collect fallen leaves, acorns and, of course, conkers in abundance. This will be about the third time we have been to the park and we always take extra adults with us and also a few buggies so tired children can have a ride, but usually the buggies end up carrying all the things the children have collected while they are happy walking.
Fun & Funds
To raise funds for the group this term we are holding a Nearly New Sale on 13th October in the Village Hall between 2 o'clock and 3.30. For further details see our advertisement in this issue of Parish News. We are also hoping to have a fashion show of children's clothes and will let you know through this magazine when details are finalised.
Thank you
We would like to thank the Brownies very much for our new aprons, which the children are now wearing for both painting and 'messy' play. The Brownies kindly purchased them for us with some of the money raised by the Craft Fair.
Why not drop in?
Do not forget, if you have children of two and a half years or over who you think would enjoy playgroup we would be glad to welcome you for a visit so you can see what we do. Phone 728865 or 410908 to make arrangements.


WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
At out recent Birthday Meeting we welcomed visitors from Eaton Bray, Studham, Downside and Totternhoe. The party went with a swing, literally, as a Scottish Country Dance group showed us how it should be done. We were able to join in with one or two of the dances, which made us realize just how fit the group was! I admired the lung-power of their Piper who entertained us, not quietly, with a few tunes. The cake this year was a great treat, so there was a big thank you to Sue Horton, one of our Slip End ladies, who made the cake and to Hazel Bennet who iced it. Well Done!
I would also like to thank Gerald & Peter who were asked to help with the furniture, but who also helped out with the washing up!
We are trying to organize one or two coach trips, so keep an eye open on notice boards and in shop windows where will will advertise any space left on the coach.
We meet at the Collings Wells Memorial Hall in Caddington on 3rd Tuesdays in each month at 7.30. We have a interesting programme (see Diary Page) and look forward to seeing you ladies there.
Patricia Crick



SLIP END PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
September has been a busy month!
First an update on items which appeared earlier in Parish News.
A5/B4540 junction: still ongoing. Crawley Playground: new play equipment installed. Airport Noise: keep writing or e-mailing LLA with your noise complaints. Timberlands: Petition still doing the rounds. Village Notice Board: Watch this space, it should be in position shortly.
Parish Clerk/Administrator:
I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Mr David Haste as our Parish Clerk/Administrator. David comes to us with a wealth of experience of handling Parish matters. He will be at the next Parish Council meeting at the Village Hall on Monday 1st October, taking up his duties from that date, contact details for all correspondence, etc. will be released next month. We are confident that David will fulfill our expectations and look forward to working with him.
Airport:
You may by now be aware that there has been a management shake up at Luton Airport and, although only early days yet, the new management team seem to be a bit more pro-active with regard to noise pollution. The latest news we get is that plans for the PRNav.Sat route which was going to be flown more frequently from September have been put back possibly until October. No Easyjet planes will fly this route and only two extra Britannia aircraft will be using it. There will be a new noise unit somewhere in Slip End or Caddington. There will still be consultation but we don't know where or when it will be. The new Operations Manager at London Luton Airport is a Mr Andy Harrison and he reports directly to Sue Mackenzie the Operations Director. I hope to be meeting them on the 24th September at the AGM of the London Luton Airport Consultant Committee. I shall keep you informed.
Travellers:
By now most of you will have heard, either by mouth or having had read about it in the Beds on Sunday about the situation that occurred at the Peter Edwards Playing Field at the end of August.
What happened was this: I received a call on the morning of 28th August from a resident in Summer Street who said that she had seen caravans go down the road leading to the Playing Field. I went to have a look and discovered some 13 caravans plus cars and people had camped on the Field! I called Philip Penman, our District Councillor, who advised me to ring SBDC Environmental Health Department. I told them what was being done on privately owned amenity area, belonging to the people of the village and I was advised that, as a Parish Council, we had the right to send in the Bailiffs to have them evicted. I then contacted a company in Bedford who advised me what I could do and what they would do. In the meantime Cllr. Richard Stay had paid the playing fields a visit and ascertained that they were the same people who had caused havoc at the Rugby Club and at Manshead School and whilst there he observed that the Clubhouse was being vandalised. He called the police. At this point the Bailiffs appointed by the Parish Council arrived and served a Notice of Eviction. The travellers realised there and then that we were going to muck about with them and left. A local newspaper report that the bill for all this would cost the Parish Council a thousand pounds: in fact the Bailiffs charge is £550, cheap at the price when one considers how much it could have cost us in clearing up the rubbish, repairing the damage, etc. Also I took into account risks to the Church, the vicarage and the home for the elderly, all nearby. I have the Parish Councils support for my actions and hope that I also have all of yours. We must be prepared to give out messages like that to deter anyone doing it again.
Crime figures for July/August: In July there were: 1 theft of motor vehicle, 2 burglaries of dwellings, 1 theft (other) and 1 theft from a motor vehicle. In August there were: 2 thefts from motor vehicles and 4 actual thefts of motor vehicles in the entire Parish. Please report all crimes, however small, to our WPC Thompson on her voicemail, 473112 or to Dunstable police station on 471212. For urgent or serious crimes, call 999. Please be vigilant and report all suspicious activity.
Fences at the Crawley Playground:
Criminal driving of a stolen around the Village Hall car park caused bad damage to the fencing. I have asked Richard Gurney to give the PC a quote for the repair and replacement of these fences. I shall let you know how much this is going to cost next month.
Slip End 'Litter' Festival:
Would parents of youngsters using the Crawley Playground please draw the attentions of their children to the two litterbins in the playground. Over the school holidays litter piled up daily. Cleaning and tidying is an expensive business, and costs which could be saved by just a little consideration. So stop being lazy and selfish, use those bins and take some pride in this newly equipped village amenity.
Festina Lente (hasten slowly):
Rights and responsibilities for this month - It has been brought to my notice and in fact I have had to leap for my life recently, that we have a crop of first time drivers in the village, (mostly) young men who have recently passed their driving test. Now I know only too well the joy of the open road and the Toad of Toad Hall factor that takes over with the first vroom-vroom or parp-parp, but the speed some of these lads are going, especially round the side roads is dangerous. I say to these people: only a couple of years ago when you were still riding your bikes other people took care and looked out for you - now it is your turn - you have the right to drive but your responsibility is to other road users and pedestrians please use extreme caution when on the roads. (PN: Report incidents of speeding or dangerous driving to the police, 471212.)
Best foot forward: Wise words indeed. It never ceases to amaze me when I see village people jump into their cars and drive the few yards to the post office or the school! The amount of "internal" traffic in the village, especially school comings and goings, would drastically reduce if people walked. Statistics tell us of the high numbers of accidents which occur within half a mile of home. Also, horror of horrors, people are seen driving to school with their children in the car without seat belts on! If you asked these people to put loaded guns to their children's heads they would think you had gone insane: I ask you, where's the difference? The Parish Council have put aside a sum for a feasibility study for a 'walking taxi' for our children to use. The questionnaire will come to parents via the school and I am meeting the Head of the Lower School soon to discuss just how we go about this. If there is enough interest the PC and the school (hopefully) will look at how we can go about establishing such a 'taxi' service. Will keep you posted on this.
That's all for this month. Councillor. Betty Sentinella, our Vice Chairman, will be taking October's Parish Meeting and so she will report to you next time.
Keep safe!
Christine Benson,
Chairman Slip End Parish Council.

PS. What do you think of our new piece of futuristic artwork at the bend on the Woodside Road? (see cover) I'd like to think that we could call it 'Rural Decay' and submit it for the Turner Prize, after all if Tracey Ermin can get £100,000 for an unmade bed, we must be in with a good chance!
PPS. Nice to see Muriel back - I'm an avid follower of 'Mu's Diary'. Keep it up Muriel!!


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