Welcome to the Spring ‘05 edition of Arley News. I’m delighted to say that we’ve had some very positive feedback from people regarding our first edition in December, with many people liking the new format of a parish magazine. Thank you everyone for your kind words of encouragement. I am still looking for contributors to the newsletter and am particularly keen on hearing from people who could provide a regular feature for example on the history of Arley or a ‘children’s corner’. However, anyone wanting to submit a ‘one off’ article are more than welcome to submit it for publication to arleynews@hotmail.com or leave it in one of the boxes situated at the Post Office in New Arley or at Rowley’s Butchers in Old Arley. We now also have a website for Arley, produced by Mandy Tonks. Mandy adds each edition of ‘Arley News’ to the website every quarter, so if you want to view the magazine on line, want to look at back issues, or want to see the other interesting items about Arley linked on the website. A big thank you too to Audrey Brown who co-ordinates our delivery volunteers and of course the delivery volunteers themselves for pounding the streets to deliver your copy of Arley News. We try to hand deliver copies of Arley News to every household in Arley. If you do not receive a copy, or if you can volunteer some time to deliver to your street/s then please contact me and I will pass your details on to Audrey. An Easter Message – Meditation Long ago in the days before history, a man and a woman made a choice. Put as they were in paradise, wanting for nothing and knowing God face to face, they thought they knew best. They chose to listen not to God but to evil. They put out their hands and took the fruit of the tree. They turned away from Him, and through their foolishness all humanity came to know pain and suffering, anger and loss, sin and death. God, however, had already made a choice. He chose never to leave that man and woman, and all the rest of humanity. He called, beckoned and led, but through all the noise of selfishness and suffering few bothered to listen. He chose to send His Son, born of a woman, to lead humanity back to paradise. He chose to bear the sins and suffering of the world. He chose to take up the cross and through His death and resurrection, He chose to show us the path back to the Father. He chose to know our pain and suffering, our anger and loss, our sin and death. And in the stillness of His time in the tomb, He went and grasped that man and that woman by the hand. He hauled them from their graves and pointed them back, back to Paradise. Risen from the tomb, His nail-scarred hands reach out today, calling, beckoning, leading. Only that way, the way of the cross, of thorns and nails, scourge and spear, could we then know His paradise again, wanting for nothing and knowing God face to face once more. As that way was opened for the man and the woman, so it is open for you and for me. He puts out His hand, the fruit of the tree of the Cross, and asks us to take it. Fr. Stephen Day (Parish Priest, St. Anne’ s & St. Joseph’s) Arley Community Association News Planning Inquiry The inquiry into North Warwickshire Borough Council’s plans to allocate the Site of the Miners Welfare Hall in New Arley for 42 units of affordable housing took place at the Council House in Atherstone on February 15th. A huge amount of work went into the preparation for this hearing, which is why you haven’t have heard much about ACA for a while! Four members of the Community Association; Paul Reader, Paul Stephen, Vanessa Eady and Helen Reading put forward the continued objection to these proposals. Mike O’Brien MP spoke representing the wider views of the residents of Arley and NWBC Cllr Adrian Edgington, Mrs Cotterill, Chair of Arley Parish Council and Gerry Brough, Clerk to the Parish Council also attended the hearing on behalf of the people of Arley. ACA is grateful for the support that we received from Judy Vero of The ‘Campaign to Protect Rural England’. We feel that the hearing went well and that ACA put a very good case forward. The Inspector was keen to hear directly from residents about the services and facilities in the village, about what we would like to see happen to the site and about our views on the Councils proposals. What happens next We now have to wait for Inspector’s report which we are told will completed sometime in September or October 2005. We would like to say a big thanks to all of those involved, they took on a staggering amount of work, and also to Mike O’Brien MP who helped us to present a very persuasive and professional case. * The next meeting of Arley Community Association will take place on: Wednesday April 6th, The Jampot, New Arley, 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome. If you would like to find out more about the planning inquiry or about ACA and how you can get involved, please come along. Parish Plan for Arley We are currently in discussions with the Parish Council about undertaking a Parish Plan for Arley. Establishing a Parish Plan has many advantages; it would set out residents’ wishes for the future and identify important issues, problems, needs and wants. Local Planning Authorities can adopt Parish Plans as supplementary planning guidance which would give us, as a community, some control over any new development in Arley. Possibly most importantly, it would provide us with the opportunity to work with the relevant agencies to find solutions to some of the problems facing the village. The evidence that it provides will also allow us to access funding for different projects. However, undertaking a Parish Plan is a long and fairly complex process and involves a lot of hard work. It must be community led, we have to do it ourselves, no one is going to do it for us! For this reason we are asking for local people to join in this work along with the Community Association and the Parish Council. Would you be willing to get involved? There will be many different tasks, from designing, delivering and analysing questionnaires to organising meetings and asking people for their views and ideas. If you would like to find out more, please come along to the next meeting or contact: Helen Reading – 07977 723397 or Paul Reader: 01676 541323 Chatterbooks Comes To Arley Chatterbooks is a national Reading Group project for children. Usually the children meet in a public library to talk about the books they have read, and recommend them to others. The Mobile library, which comes to New Arley on alternate Tuesdays, isn’t big enough for a group to meet, and it is unlikely the children would be able to go into Atherstone for a regular meeting, so we have brought the idea to Gun Hill school. Eleven 6 year olds are now part of the first Orange Chatterbooks group to be set up in North Warwickshire. They meet after lunch at school every other Tuesday, and choose books from a collection brought from Atherstone library. These are not reading scheme books, and not the same books they would find in the school library, so it will hopefully introduce them to a wider range of books to read, and develop their love of reading. Later in the term we hope to have a visit to the mobile library, and may produce a list of recommended titles for the newsletter. If anyone is interested in forming an adult Reading Group, please ring Gwyneth Wicks, Rural Outreach Librarian at Atherstone library. 01827 7123965 to discuss this. Faith Communities Regeneration My name is Kay Aldersley and I am your Faith Communities Regeneration Support Officer. My post (part-time) is funded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) and focuses on working with the faith communities in the regeneration zone of the North Warwickshire ex-mining villages. I have a background in community development work and teaching adults in community settings through my work with North Warwickshire & Hinckley College. Although there is lots of good work already happening, my role, supported by the Coventry Diocesan Development Team, is to work with faith communities in sustaining, expanding or beginning to work with the local community. Also, to encourage faith communities to work together by gaining understanding, accessing funding and engaging with other local networks vital in moving projects forward. Groups may identify an idea or project but need support, perhaps in recruiting volunteers or in accessing funding. This is where the Diocesan Development Team and I come in! Don’t hesitate to get in touch! The Faith Communities Project has hosted two Resource Events so far. Our next event is planned for Saturday 21st May, 10 am – 1 pm at Mancetter Church Centre and focuses upon the role of North Warwickshire Council for Voluntary Services and how they can support faith groups and enable community projects to move forward. The event is free for all and there will be a buffet lunch for people to socialise. Let me know if you would like further details. Working in the north of the Diocese I am based at my ‘home office’. My contact telephone number is 024 7636 2995 or send an email. Christmas Fayre On the 28th November 2004, the Arley Community Association held a Christmas Fayre in St. Michael’s Church, New Arley. The day was great fun and well attended by the residents of Arley. We had brick-a-brack stalls; a Tombola Stall run by the ‘Over 60’s’; a Children’s Toy stall run by ‘Mini-Mikes’ playgroup; a Cake stall run by Old Arley Playgroup and various other stalls selling both new and second hand items. Jane Stephens put on delicious pork and stuffing (home made!) batches which sold like hot cakes, together with the other refreshments on offer. Arley Community Association ran the raffle of which the prizes were donated by local businesses, who we would like to thank for supporting their local community. They include: The Firtree Inn; Londis; D&R Motors; Arley Sports Centre; Purple Flame Aromatherapy; Shapla Tandoori; Jacksons; and Rowleys. Thanks also to Asda stores for donating sweets for Santa; Gun Hill School for the use of various games and equipment, Ansley Village Hall for use of the tables and of course St. Michael’s Church for the venue. Arley Community Association raised in excess of £200.00 from the day with the various stalls raising their own revenue for their individual groups too. Together with a visit from Santa, the day proved to be very enjoyable and it was lovely to see so many people turning out to support their community. Arley Community Association intends to run a Summer Fete this year, about which more will be printed in our Summer 2005 issue. Anybody interested in becoming involved an making this the ‘Fete of the Year’, please contact Claire White on 07855 963881. Constabulary News Warwickshire Police now have the use of a Mobile Community Police Office. This is a Home Office led initiative where residents get the chance to meet with the local police every month at a specific location. The Mobile Police Office will be in Arley on the following dates: 08.03.05 – Arley Sports Centre (09.00 – 12.00) Full details are available here. The Police can still be contacted via the usual routes, however the mobile office is there for people to drop by and chat to the officers about anything that is concerning them or just to say hello. P.C. Gary Bridgewater is the local Police Officer for Arley and can be contacted at Atherstone Police Station on 01827 718092. Broadband Comes To Arley Yes, it’s true, Arley has entered the 21st Century! Many thanks to local resident Gary Alsop for informing Arley News that as from December 1st 2004, those on the Fillongly exchange (01676) can now access the internet via Broadband connection. I’m sure this news is celebrated by many of us who previously sat sighing over our computers waiting for them to connect or those with partners/children who hogged the only phone line! New Year, New You Can you see new growth? Spring officially began on the 21st March, when you look in your gardens and the countryside around us, what new growth can you see? Many of you will have set yourself goal/s for 2005 back in early January. Are you seeing new leaves unfold as a result of the small actions you have carried out so far? Whichever stage you find yourself at, compare yourself with the time of year. Spring is a season which sees the beginnings of new growth. So, how does nature prepare and encourage growth?:- » Light and space Nature uses the bright spring sunshine to feed the new shoots with the light and energy they need to continue to grow, it is vital therefore that the garden is cleared of debris and leaves to allow the light to reach new plants. What light and energy do you need? Consider clearing the physical clutter to clear mental clutter, providing you with clear thinking space and thus an ability focus on the development of your goals. » Nutrients in the soil Plants need goodness and nutrients to provide the necessary energy to grow healthily. Are you providing your mind and body with the inputs and influences it needs to develop and grow to achieve the goals you have set? One tip is to drink lots of water at least 6 glasses a day; this flushes impurities and prevents energy-sapping dehydration. » Preparing garden tools To prepare the borders and turn over the soil, the gardeners among you will be preparing your tools to use to encourage the best results in the garden. Identify what you need for your goals, (E.g. information, support, advice, encouragement, books). It is amazing how hooked you then become on taking the next step once you have lined up the resource/s you need. Staying focused Life is full of “great” moments and “not so great” moments?! In the latter moments, you may find yourself finding it difficult to stay focused on your goals. Consider the following pointers:- e not set any goals yet for the year, it’s not too late. For free ideas on how to establish goals and stay focused on your goals, visit My Life Coaching. Congratulations To Gun Hill Many of you will already know that Gun Hill Infant and Nursery School, received a very good Ofsted report as a result of it’s inspection for the academic year 2003/2004. The report is excellent to read and the full version can be viewed on Ofsted’s website. Following this report, Gun Hill has been named in a report earlier this year by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools as being ‘extremely effective in providing high quality education and ensuring its pupils achieve very well’. Gun Hill is one of only six schools in the whole of Warwickshire singled out for special praise and is in the top 8% of Nursery and Primary Schools in the country (during this inspection period) who are mentioned in the report as being particularly successful. Congratulations to staff and pupils at the school for your hard work and achieving such good results. Welcome to… Mrs Pipe who has joined the school this year as the new Head Teacher. Mrs. Pipe comes to Gun Hill with many years teaching experience and she says that she is pleased to be able to join such a good school and dedicated staff team, where she intends to work together with staff, pupils and parents to build on the accomplishments already achieved. Mrs. Pipe is always happy to meet parents wherever possible and should you wish to say ‘hello’, keep your eye out around the school or contact her at the school on: 01676 540397. And to… Miss Bulpitt, new Head Teacher at Herbert Fowler Junior School in Old Arley. This is Miss Bulpitt’s first headship following a long teaching career spanning 26years in Worcestershire and latterly Coventry before joining us in Arley. Miss Bulpitt is still getting to know the school and is busy trying to remember children and parents. She has been impressed however at how the school has worked together, fundraising, raising a considerable amount for the Tsunami appeal and other causes. Miss Bulpitt is pleased to be working with the very supportive staff already at the school and she is looking forward to working together with staff, pupils and parents, moving the school into a new era. Parish Council News Members of the Parish Council have attended the public enquiry with Arley Community Association, to object against proposed plans for the old Arley Miners Welfare site and the two groups continue to work together for the production of a Parish Plan giving our say in how Arley is structured. For the second consecutive year the Parish Council voted NOT to increase the precept - this is the part of your Council Tax payable to the P.C. and is the bulk of their revenue. Councillors were saddened to see yet more damage to the newly installed seating at the recreation ground New Arley especially as more money has been set aside to spend on extending the range of equipment, will it be wasted or can we look after our new facilities? Next meeting : 7th April 7.15 Arley Parish rooms, Hill Top. Church Services And Community Activities St. Michael’s, Gun Hill and St. Wilfrids’s, Arley Spring is on its way and soon lent will be drawing to a close with the wonderful celebrations of Easter. Do join us at our services. It is really too good an opportunity to miss. We particularly invite you to the Service of First Light our Easter Eve Service on Saturday 26th March at St. Michael’s at 8.00pm. Following ancient tradition it is a service full of colour and activity. It will include a bonfire, processions, candles, sprinkling with water and the admission of several children to their First Communion. 20.03.05 – Palm Sunday Procession, Dramatic Reading and Holy Communion. 9.00am St. Wilfrid’s, Old Arley; 10.15 am St. Michael’s, New Arley. We meet every Sunday for worship 9.00am St. Wilfrid’s and 10.15am at St. Michael’s. Our Programme of weekday activities at St. Michael’s continues to grow: Mondays and Wednesdays 1.00am – 1.00pm Challenge. (Challenging Alcohol Abuse) We are also hoping to start a playgroup soon. If you are interested in helping, please let me know. If you would appreciate a visit or would like to arrange a baptism or wedding, I should be delighted to hear from you. St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Spring Hill Easter Sunday Mass – 11.00am St Joseph’s is served from – Arley Wesley Hall Methodist Church and Community Centre (For Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Visits etc.) Family Service: 2nd Sunday of the Month 10.30am Other Sundays: Midweek Activities: Pop in for Tea, Coffee and Cakes or just a chat, 3.00pm on the First Thursday of the each Month. Local Activities During Easter For those of you struggling to keep the children amused during the Easter Holidays, Arley News has been informed of the following local events: Falconry Experience: Fly Fishing at Shustoke Reservoir: For further information on these or other events please contact Paul Taylor on: 01827 719270, email Paul Taylor Easter Holiday Club For further information call: 01827 713116. I Remember – Bare Bottoms And Stinging Nettles The history of Arley and other village schools is vividly brought to life in a new book. Village schools were not idyllic and their history is intertwined with memories of past pupils and teachers. They illustrate, using their own words, what life was actually like. There are many happy and amusing stories combined with childhood tragedies. Arley has a unique history. With the sinking of Arley pit in 1901-2, some 3000 men with their families came to Arley, seeking work. It took years to provide housing and amenities and the little school struggled valiantly with too many children, not enough desks or resources and poverty. The school log books give an accurate, daily account, of school life. In 1897, the head teacher of Arley Church School, complains of depression as the school would close due to insufficient children. (Little did he know then!) “1899: The prize for regular attendance was given to Gertrude Thompson, the naughtiest and most idle girl in the school. Arthur Dexter, aged 5, was knocked down by a cow and trampled on.” “1904: Many children away with ringworm on their faces. Some away as no footwear and one girl no frock!” Schools included: Arley Schools, Astley, Corley, Corley Open Air, Fillongley, Little Packington, Maxstoke, Meriden and Shawbury Industrial School. Available: Arley, Corley and Fillongley Post Offices @ £11. By post: Fillongley Publications, The Old Granary, Fillongley, Nr. Coventry CV7 8PB. @ £13.50 to include p&p. Please note: Articles for inclusion in the Summer edition of Arley News (for distribution mid June) to be received no later than 13th May 2005. ©2005 Arley News. Editor Clare Brady.
09.03.05 – The Green, Sycamore Crescent (14.00 – 17.30)
04.04.05 – Arley Sports Centre (09.00 – 12.00)
05.04.05 – The Green, Sycamore Crescent (14.00 – 17.30)
01.05.05 – Arley Sports Centre (09.00 – 12.00)
Peter Allan (Rector) 02476 399070
24.03.05 – Maundy Thursday – March Fellowship Meal. St. Wilfrid’s Vestry at 7.30pm followed by Holy Communion in the Church at 8.30pm
25.03.05 – Good Friday – 2.00pm – 4.00pm – St. Wilfrid’s open for prayer and meditation.
26.03.05 – Easter Eve – Service of First Light. (with Holy Communion) 8.00pm St. Michael’s
27.03.05 – Easter Day – 9.00am Holy Communion St. Wilfrid’s; 10.15am Holy Communion (by extension) St. Michael’s
Tuesdays and Fridays 12.30 – 2.30pm Minimikes (preschool)
Tuesdays 6.00pm North Warwickshire Rural Youth Project
Thursdays 11.00am St. Michael’s Over 60’s Club
Thursdays 1.00pm – 2.30pm New Way Credit Union
Fridays 7.00pm – Megamikes
Fr Stephen Day 02476 392365
Sunday Mass 11.00am
St Anne’s Catholic Church, Camp Hill Road, Chapel End, Nuneaton
Mass Every Sunday at 9.00am
Holy Thursday - 8.00pm - Mass of the Lord’s Supper and watch before the Blessed Sacrament
Good Friday – 3.00pm – Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
Easter Saturday – 7.30pm – Vigil Mass of Easter
Easter Sunday Mass - 9.00am
Minister: Rev Hubert McKenzie. Tel: 01827 715600
Sunday school: 2.30pm
Evening Worship: 6.00pm
Tuesdays: Sparkle Club for 4-7 Year Olds 5.30pm – 6.30pm
Youth Club for 12 plus 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Wednesdays: Mother and Toddlers 1.00pm – 2.30pm
Line Dancing 6.45pm – 7.45pm
Thursdays: Jaffa Club for 7 – 12 Year Olds 5.30pm – 6.30pm
Thursday 31st and 7th April 2005
Cost - £20.00
Wednesday 30th and 6th April 2005
Cost - £15.00
or visit the council’s website.
Run by Atherstone Early Years Centre.
29th March – 8th April
8.00a.m. – 5.45p.m.
For all children from 3 – 11 years
Cost: £1.50 per hour per child. Discounted rates for brothers and sisters.
by Susan K Moore
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