Fill with little gifts
like crayons,
colouring books,
toys, dolls, sweets,
toiletries

Take one shoe box
(most shoe shops are
only too pleased to
give them away)

Your "Love in a
Box" will be sent to
a child, a victim of
war, poverty, disease
or natural disaster

Decide if it is for a
boy or girl. Cover
the box and lid
separately with
Christmas paper.

Add a card and a
letter or photo, £2 to
help with postage
and bring it to
St Andrews
or call Sue on
733507

It's as easy as that!


Petition to close Timberlands
Many words have been expressed locally about the situation regarding the travelling community and the future of Timberlands, the official residential site in Pepperstock. Some of our councillors have expressed strong views and feelings are running high at the moment with a petition circulating with a view to closure the site. But little or nothing has been expressed publicly about the fears and feelings from the perspective of the travellers. So Parish News approached Joan Duncombe, who has specific dealings within the local social services for the needs of these people particularly the youngsters and who played an important part behind the scenes at the Playing Field incident in August (see Parsh Council item, above).
Joan writes …

A quote from last month's Parish News: "It makes one realise how lucky one is to live in such a wonderful community as Slip End".
This 'wonderful community' wants to render the 9 families from Timberlands homeless. Their ages range from 2 to 70 years and some have lived there since the site opened, 24 years ago. There are 16 children, 15 of school age who attend Slip End Lower, Five Oaks and Manshead Schools. Eviction will be the end of any continuity of education for them.
In signing this petition the residents of Slip End are forcing these families to take their trailers back onto the roads to find playing fields, parkland, school grounds, farmer's fields or car parks in which to stay for a few days or weeks. They will have no running water, sanitation or electricity (unless they happen to have a generator). They will take their horses, dogs, chickens and pig with them. They will be forced back to a nomadic lifestyle because there is nowhere else for them to go.
In the south of the county there are 3 council run sites. In addition to Timberlands there is one at Stopsley in Luton and the other at Eaton Bray. All are full and have a waiting list. There are a few private sites owned by Travellers, the nearest being Jockey Farm. There is no control over these sites, no manager, they are overcrowded and have many problems.

Evict these families from Timberlands and they will be back on the road. Their first stopping place will most likely be the Village Hall field, followed by the Playing Field and then Manshead School. Each stopping place will cost the council hundreds of pounds to evict them and clear the site.
I recognise that some of the children on the site cause problems, but would we close an entire council housing estate because of the behaviour of some of the residents? Should we have a petition to close Timberlands without even telling the residents what we are doing or why? What a 'wonderful community'!
Joan Duncombe


A VISIT TO ST ALDHELM'S
On 5th September a group from St Andrew's Church set out to attend the Induction of David Bolster as Vicar of St Aldhelm's Church in Edmonton. We arrived in plenty of time so Mary kindly invited us into their new home. The vicarage is impressively large and they have been busy decorating some of the enormous rooms. David has been sorting out his study and preparing for the Parish Office which is being moved from the Choir Vestry to the Vicarage.
After a quick freshen up it was time to walk the few yards to the Church. As we entered the building I could see why David and Mary had decided to make their next home at St Aldhelm's. The Church is large, a big contrast to St Andrew's, with its wooden pews, ornate windows, beautiful arches and a lovely, awe-inspiring chapel.
The Bishop of Edmonton welcomed everyone then we then sang one of David's favourite hymns, "I, the Lord of sea and sky". The Bishop gave a very thought provoking sermon and David re-affirmed his ordination vows. After the Induction, David was led to the door of the Church by the Archdeacon to hand over possession of St Aldhelm's. He rang the Church bells to signify that he had taken over the Parish Church. He was then presented to the congregation by the Bishop and welcomed by the Churchwardens, Area Dean and the Mayor of Enfield.
The service concluded with Communion and then Blessing from the Bishop and everyone was invited to the Church Hall for refreshments.
After the service we were led the few yards to the very spacious Church Hall in between the Vicarage and the Church, and enjoyed some light refreshments, wine and hot drinks and met some of the parishioners from the Church It was lovely to meet up with David, Mary and their family and wish them well. Finally, in the pouring rain, we made our way back to Slip End with many thanks to Roger Duncombe, who drove the mini bus.
Sue Cowell


ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATION
General Work
October is good month during which to apply slow acting fertilizers such as basic slag, bone meal and Kainit. Lime can also be applied now if your ground requires it. Gather up all fallen leaves, build up a heap in some out of the way corner and leave to rot; same can be done with carrot tops, old peas and potato haulm.
Turf and repair any lawns: if you want a new lawn, now is the time to get on with it. Established lawns should be given a final cut. And don't forget the hardworking mowers, strimmers, trimmers and other garden tools! Clean off any grass or debris, check the general state of repair and get things fixed now. Apply oil where required and store these expensive items away securely for the winter months. Then you will be sure that you tools are in good shape for use next spring.
Vegetable Garden
Protect cauliflower heads by bending an outer leaf or two over. Lift and store turnips of a reasonable size in a frost proof place.
Fruit & Flower garden
Crop all remaining apples and pears and store away from frost. Deciduous shrubs can be planted or moved and new roses can be planted. Rose cuttings can be taken: put them deeply into soil with sand well mixed in and do not disturbed until next year.

Still a major subject for conversation in the F & R is Mrs Valerie Church's triumph at last year's Caddington Garden Show, where she scooped all the major silver. This year was to have been a pinnacle in an otherwise up and down horticultural career, as she planned to enter her produce again: but the demise of the show thwarted her plans. A demise brought on, it is thought, by the show's organizer's shame of defeat at the hands of a Slip End housewife.
Pictured are selected samples of her Plumpikinius Slypendii, grown at the Slip End allotments by Mrs Church, ably assisted by her under-gardener, Brian, who applied limited skills in advanced statistical crop analysis, bringing the crop to harvest at the optimum time. Shame the show was cancelled …
They are seen stoically supporting the garden table with their knees, but moments after this picture was taken, the table gave way, collapsed and caused a major disturbance in the Summer Street locality, equivalent to 4.3 on the Richter scale.
Rueters


SLIP END TODDLER GROUP
Following the summer break, the Toddler Group has resumed at the Village Hall on Tuesdays, 1.30 to 3.00pm. It was lovely to see quite a few new faces at our first session recently. So if there are any more parents or grandparents or carers out there, you are also welcome to join us. Don't worry if your child is not strictly a "toddler" just yet, we have plenty of baby toys too!
Sponsored Bounce
The children will each bounce on a trampoline for one minute and will receive sponsorship for every bounce. If you would like your child to participate, forms are available from the Toddlers. The "Bounce" will take place on Tuesday 16th October.
Trip to Legoland Windsor
Toddlers and Playgroup have organized this trip on 23rd October but it is open to others. Tickets: £16.50 (adults), £13 (3-5 year olds), £5 (under 3's, coach fare only)., all much cheaper than the standard entrance fee, so if you would like to come please contact Sam Edwards on (01582) 410908.
"Kiddies on the Catwalk" Fashion Show
This is a well established company based in St Albans and they sell well known brands of clothing for children, 2 to 12 years at discounted prices. Clothes are modeled by our children, so if you know of any potential models contact Liz Meleady on (01582) 450849.


PARISH NEWS
Sue Cowell, our Editor, is taking a well earned breather this month, so while she has had her feet up, I have been doing battle with Bill Gates, hacking out this issue against all odds!

Parish News this month has endeavored to bring to you one or two important local issues and we make no apology for some of the longer and extra items this month. We are pleased that our new Parish Council has chosen Parish News as one way of keeping us all abreast of council news and meetings. The magazine is circulated widely in the area, so it's good to be of assistance to our new Parish Council.
Unlike Bill (Sue's not giving him a hard time, so I feel duty bound to make up some lost ground), we are only human and we make the odd mistake. So we are pleased from when our readers come back, (irritated sometimes by our erudite and high-tech screw-ups) and put us to rights! Keep it up.
Back to the point: Christine Benson's item, whilst lengthy, presents to us some serious issues in her own readable and chatty way, complementing a more down to earth approach from Muriel (nothing from Mu this month, standby for next months unleashing!). However, some council business can be pretty drab stuff. I, along with a goodly number from this area, recently attended a meeting of the Luton International Airport Consultative Committee, LIACC (they even make committee names drab: to help deter the natives?) and was not impressed. Expecting to learn from some lively discussion about an important issue, which directly effects us in Slip End, I found the meeting:
1. Overly bogged down in, admittedly essential, technicalities.
2. Disproportionately (in my opinion) reflecting the views of a vast cross-section, representing, that modern-day scourge, "the interested party". (I came out of the meeting almost weeping in sympathy for the poor souls from the Vale of Aylesbury, who suffer so greatly at the hands of the infamous LIAP nuisance.)
3. Adding insult to injury or maybe I was fortunate, it was almost impossible to hear much of what was being said in a large council room, having no sound amplification! Even lowly St Andrew's runs to that basic essential these days.
All this helped to deter this particular native not to call by that way again. But, perhaps I did take something of value from the meeting. To my mind the inaudible mumblings of an apparently disinterested group from LIA (who, like many of us in the public gallery and elsewhere seemed to be dozing the afternoon away), spoke inaudible volumes to me! I see from the Parish Council notes in this issue, that there has been a shake up at LIA: not before time apparently and I guess that those shaken out were adequately financially compensated in the strong encouragement to move on. I am sure, from the few Parish Council meetings that I have attended in the past, that none of the criticism leveled here at the LIACC applies to our Parish Council at their monthly meetings in the Village Hall and there audible qualities are not in question!
Always with an eye to a scoop, the intrepid PN paparazzi was out with his step ladder and digicam to record the burgeoning new multi-story car park along the lane beyond the Plough, which is taking shape more rapidly than that nearby in Luton (see cover). What a mess they (we, our society/community, us) are creating for ourselves. The wretched motorcar is fighting a strong rearguard action in its death throes. I trust, however, that all of us are quick to report (police: 01582 471212) any illegal misdemeanor witnessed and here I include fly tippers, vandalisers, speeding motorists, muggers (and, just maybe, one day, perhaps, grass verge parkers? - ouch) and all others bent on destroying further our deteriorating well being. Or does a stoic British attitude pervade, that it's best to say nothing and let them do it to us?
Glad to get all that off my chest, (even getting a good reference to grass verges in there at the beginning of the muddy season) I forthwith hand the editorial pen back to Sue. You may feel the urge to drop her a line about anything raised in this Parish News or any other item of local interest; we'd be pleased to hear from you!
David Kingston


Christmas is coming …
Would all group secretaries and organizations please send in their dates. More news would be welcome, not only to fill our pages, but also to spread the word locally what you are up to! Several important groups are missing these days, with very little from schools and youth groups, so please give this some consideration, we want to hear from you!
Our pages are also published on www.slipend.co.uk, reaching a far wider community than our local area. If you have not been on line yet, take a look; as well as local news there is a bulletin boards, forums, pictures and other items, all of local interest.

PLEASE NOTE - ALL CONTRIBUTORS
Articles for the November issue of Parish News should be passed, by 15th October please, to Sue Cowell, 83 The Crescent, Caddington (733507),
e-mail:
SueCowell@Caddington18.fsnet.co.uk.

Parish News distribution queries? Please contact Brian Church on 01 582 458443

Parish News reserves editorial rights


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