SLIP END
LOWER SCHOOL
On Wednesday 30th January 2002, 100 colourful
balloons were released from the school and a brisk south
westerly wind carried them high above the village towards
Stockwood Park, Luton Airport and beyond. Each balloon
carried a tag announcing the event and the name of the school.
The occasion was the official opening of the Foundation Stage
Unit (formerly the Nursery) by County Cllr Richard Stay.
Headteacher, Cori Fisher, and Cllr Stay cut a red ribbon
helped by young members of the Unit. Photographs and report
appeared in the local press.
The Unit provides education for three to five year olds
before they join the main school. After the Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony there was a party for the children and guests. A
special cake had been prepared for the event, which was cut
by two members of the Unit.
Cake being cut by youngsters of the new Slip End School
Foundation Unit
Headteacher Cori Fisher, with Councillor Richard Stay cutting
the ribbon.
SLIP END PLAYGROUP
Most of the new children have now settled
into Playgroup and are doing really well. We still have two
more new children to welcome before the Easter holiday. This
half term one theme on which we are basing our work is "The
Hungary Caterpillar" story, which all the children love.
So we trying some of the food he ate, all the fruits and
maybe the chocolate cake and ice cream. We are also making
our own caterpillars and butterfly pictures looking at all
the colours in a butterfly's wings. We will also be talking
about Easter and making cards and having an Easter Egg Hunt
in the hall.
On March 16th we have our Nearly New Sale in the Village Hall.
Please see our advertisement for further details.
We are making plans for next term and with the Queen's
Jubilee in mind are planning to combine our sponsored run
with a fun morning and picnic in the Village Hall grounds on
Friday 31st May.
Jill Acton
SLIP END TODDLERS
Since the new year we have been meeting as
usual on Tuesdays at 1.30pm.We now have lots of lovely new
toys, purchased with the proceeds of our fundraising efforts
last year. We have also been given a grant by Beds County
Council with which we have bought some colourful new carpets.
Thanks to the Council and everyone who helped us last year by
attending events, buying/selling raffle tickets, donating
prizes etc. Your contributions have really improved the
facilities we can offer.
Farm Trip
This month we are looking forward to a half term
trip to Woodside Farm. On 19th March we will be having our
end of term Easter bonnet parade, hunting for chocolate eggs
and making Easter crafts.
Any Internet Wizards out there?
We will soon be losing one of our committee members
when Debbie Leal and her family move to Northampton. We wish
Debbie, Alan, George, Andrew and Hannah every happiness in
their new home.
Unfortunately this leaves us without anyone to update our
contribution to the Slip End website. If you are able and
willing to do this for us please contact Jayne on 405407.The
website needs updating approximately once a month. No
connection to / knowledge of toddlers necessary. We'll tell
you what to write, we just can't do the technical bit.
VILLAGE APPEAL
Does anyone in the village still
remember the Methodist chapel on Church Road?
If you have any memories or photographs we
would like to hear from you. Do you know who Bob
Flitton was? We have a memorial stone in our garden
describing him as "A Christmas friend to the collage
children".
If you can help
please contact John and Jayne on 405407
The Chapel,
38A,Church Road
SLIP END FRIENDSHIP CLUB
Our continued support of the Club
would be tribute to the work which the late Bob Porter
contributed to the cause of our Club, of which we are truly
grateful.
Looking forward to 2002, we have already booked our Birthday
Party at the Cross Keys in Pulloxhill for Thursday March 14th
At our meeting on February 21st, the Committee will endeavour
to finalise the venues for our Summer Outings.
We hope to the satisfaction of our fifty members. Thanks for
all your continued support.
Gerald Dyer (Chairman)
SLIP END PARISH COUNCIL.
Not a lot to report this month. The Golden
Jubilee to celebrate 50 years reign of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II will be celebrated on the first weekend in June.
I have in my possession a 'Jubilee Toolkit' sent to me by the
Jubilee Trust which could prove useful should anyone decide
to do anything. If you are interested in doing anything over
this weekend - Parish Council would be interested to hear
from anyone - please let me know.
CRIME FIGURES: the following crimes were
reported during January and February: 2 burglaries (non-dwelling)
1 common assault; 1 domestic; 1 malicious call (silent); and
5 thefts FROM a motor vehicle; 1 theft of a motor vehicle.
The thefts from vehicles were all from either the public
houses or the two community halls in the area. Please be
vigilant.
AIRPARKS. The Site Manager of Airparks, Mr
Garton, came to see us at the last Parish Council Meeting. He
came to answer questions about the traffic calming within the
village and the landscaping of the Airparks site. As we
understand it now, the planning responsibility rests with the
District Council and the work is to be carried out by the
County Council; Airparks responsibility was limited to
footing the bill. There does seem to have been some movement
on the traffic calming front, as Cllr. Richard Stay later
informed us that work would probably start in the Spring - or
when it gets drier! The arrangements for landscaping were
already in hand. The delay was due to the fact that planning
permission had been received after the end of the planting
season.
Mr Garton also reminded the meeting that the offer to local
residents to make use of the Airparks buses still stood and
he also offered sponsorship for a worthwhile project
identified by the Parish Council; giving an example of
support previously given to a local youth football team. Mr
Garton agreed to make further enquiries and inform the
council as to the amount of sponsorship available.
SAFETY FORUM: A local Safety Forum has been
set up in Slip End. The initial meeting was attended by Cllr.
Fuell and Penman, Mr David Kingston, PC Thompson and PC
Rawlings. Their first task will be to make arrangements
concerning CCTV cover for the Peter Edwards Hall and the
Church.
CLASS 2 WRITES: Last week I received a
letter from Class 2 at Slip End Lower School with reference
to some environmental matters that they had noticed whilst on
a walk around the village. I hope to be able to visit the
school on the 27 February to have a talk with them.
Well, dear friends and fellow residents, it just leaves
me now to wish you a safe and happy month of March and a
peaceful Easter. Why not drop in to our Council Meetings in
the Village Hall, normally on the first Monday of each month
at 8pm. See Diary Page for dates.
Kindest regards.Christine Benson
Slip End Parish Council.
SLIP END ALLOTMENT
ASSOCIATION
Fruit & Flower Garden
Plant rose trees, make ground very firm, trim up
herbaceous 1 pinching out weak new growth from perennials,
stir and mulch ground and them. Slightly prune creepers,
removing dead ends. Strawberry runners should be laid for
sprouting ends to root off runners that show no new leaf.
Raspberries that fruit in late summer should be now cut down
to 6in, leaving a couple of buds, fresh shoots will grow in
good time. Roses should now be pruned if weather not bleak,
the hybrid perpetuals not being cut too hard back. If Apple
blossom weevil has been troublesome now is the tine to spray
with insecticide. Apple and pear stocks that are well-established
and also old trees that were cut back for reworking may now
be grafted
Vegetable Garden
Plant out Onion sets, sow leeks, spinach, Broad
Beans Broccoli in frames.
Get in early potatoes, keep an eye on young peas, protect
with ash, and put light twigs about to scare the birds
Gill Plummer
SLIP END TENNIS CLUB
One of the benefits of joining our Tennis
Club is that you become eligible to enter our draw for
Wimbledon tickets. This happens at the Annual General meeting
which is held in the spring. Another benefit is that the Club
can buy tickets for the Davis Cup at half price. This we did
and on Sunday 10th February we occupied a row of ten seats
with an excellent view of the tennis. You may recall that Tim
and Greg were losing two sets to one but rallied to pull off
a great victory against the Swedish pair. Inspired by this we
set off for Birmingham on the Sunday morning with the thought
that as long as either Tim or Greg won their singles match,
Great Britain would reach the Quarter Finals for the first
time in a long while. It was not to be. Tim played as if the
previous two days had drained him of all his magic. However,
Greg came out like a whirlwind producing some of the best
tennis that he has ever played. Greg won the first set
against the World Number 1 singles player and was still
looking like a winner well into the second set. Then the
serve lost a little consistency and he lost his service game.
Several times the ball struck the top of the net and fell
against him every time. Unfortunately, you need luck as well
as skill. However, even in the final game he still kept our
hope alive until the last ball was struck. Although we did
not win, our team did us proud and we had enjoyed nearly six
hours of drama and all for £12. We now await the next
contest hoping that it will again be a home match.
Peter Smith
In the meantime, we shall be holding our AGM on Friday
April 5th and a Quiz Night on Saturday 13th April (tickets £5
including Fish or Chicken and chips). For any further details
ring Peter on 01582 733253.
ST ANDREW'S QUIZ NIGHT
On a cold February evening , 9 teams, 67
budding Quiz Night contestants, enjoyed a good humored
evening in the Peter Edwards Hall.
Quiz masters - Lorraine & Ken (do hope they're
not having another difference of opinion!)
Loosers table - with their wooden spoons
With a choice of chicken and chips or fish and
chips, brains were re-fuelled at half-time with plenty of
beverages to help wash it down.
After a keenly fought battle, two teams tied for first
place, but there were only enough prizes for one team so it
was 'sudden death' play-off! Liz & Paddy Higgens' "Younger
One's" (well, some of them were…) came out on top!
Well done to them and commiserations to the defeated Collins/Kingston
Combo, who took the sudden death defeat philosophically. (We
woz robbed!)
All in all, everyone had a very good night. It was nice to
catch up with the Bolsters, who came for the evening. They
are settling well into their new Parish but of course are
still missing everyone in Slip End.
"The Young Ones", winners after a closely
fought battle!
EDITORS CHOICE
A short month this month - perhaps that's why
we are missing some of our regular contributors. Muriel; Cub
Camp report; Women's Institute: perhaps next month?
With Mothering Sunday on Sunday March 10th I thought I would
include some special verses for Mothers.
Sue Cowell, Editor
A Mother's Day
For childhood's golden memories
For happy bygone years.
The comfort of your presence
In days of joy and tears
For all your love upon life's way
I thank you from my heart this day.
For Mother
Work from dawn till bedtime.
That's a mother's busy day.
Washing, cleaning, cooking.
Never time for rest or play.
Looking after home and baby
and of others too.
Every day the same routine
to tackle and get through…
That's a mother's day.
But when the family has grown -
When her life is not so rushed
and she is left alone -
Looking back across the years those days she will recall -
And tell you that they were the best
and happiest of all.
(Thanks Mum)
ZJB PARTY
ZJB late Christmas Party that took place on
February 2nd. Their was lots to eat and drink
and games to play. The children played pass the parcel, and
other games
and also made their own party hats. There were 13 children
altogether and I believe a good time was had by all - well
done to all the helpers and teachers.
Some of the children, enjoying their tea!
SLIP
END PLAYGROUP
Saturday
16th March
Slip
End Village Hall
2
p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Clothing,
equipment and toys for children
aged 0 to 12 years only.
Items
to be labeled clearly with name, size and price
(include
20% for Playgroup).
Labels
to be pinned on with safety pins
or
sticky labels to be used.
Items
to be provided on hangers if possible
Deliver
goods to be sold between midday and 1pm
on Saturday to Slip End Village Hall
Further
Enquiries Phone: 01582 452410
or 01582 450849
Please
return for your goods at 16:00hrs.
Any
goods not collected will be donated to charity.
ST. ANDREW'S EVENTS
COMMITTEE
We are planning an Open Gardens event in Slip
End. This will be on Saturday 13th July and will be open to
the whole Village. We are hoping that many of the keen (and
not so keen) gardeners in the village will participate. Your
garden does not need to be anything special, you just need to
be enthusiastic and prepared to interest folks looking round.
There will be a collection for charity and if anyone feels
like offering refreshments or have a plant sale to raise
extra money then that would also be very welcome. This is not
a competition. We are, however, hoping to run a hanging
basket competition at the same time, and again, anyone in the
village is free to enter. Please see below for an entry form
and send it as soon as possible to: Valerie Church, The Old
Bakery, 2 Summer Street. Alternatively call her on 458443.
You can use the form below to enter the Open Gardens and Hanging Basket event.
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